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Liveaboard Cruises in the Sea of Cortez

Dive Tour Options and Travel Information

If the Baja peninsula is "nearly an island" then the Sea of Cortez is nearly a lagoon. It is a very long narrow stretch of water with a relatively small opening at the tip of the peninsula. These rich waters are considered among the most bio-diverse in the world and offer diving with both large and small marine animals.

Many endemic creatures thrive in the Sea of Cortez including the endangered porpoise sub-species, the vaquita. Migratory creatures are also common and include whales of the humpback, California gray and killer varieties. It is estimated that 30% of the world's cetacean species are found in this stretch of water that has been called 'The Aquarium of the World'. The large creatures can include schooling hammerhead sharks at various sites including El Lavadero, and wonderful sea lion encounters throughout the Sea of Cortez at places like El Arroyo.

This region of Mexico promises sightings of whale sharks. You can also see leatherback sea turtles, many types of angelfish, plus seahorses and all manner of smaller reef fish. Unlike Guadalupe and Socorro, there is beautiful reef scenery here and a wide array of smaller marine species, as evidenced by the nudibranch lovers' favorite dive site, La Vela. [More details on these dive sites: Sea of Cortez].

Diving Cruise Options

Sea of Cortez - You can experience trips called Sea of Cortez which normally run for a period of 12 nights and cover the northern, central and southern regions of this amazing body of water.

More common are trips called Sea of Cortez North & Midriff Islands, which are usually 7 nights long and do not venture too far south.

Another alternative is to book a trip to the Sea of Cortez South & Socorro Islands - these trips are normally for 10 nights' duration and are unique in that they combine both the Sea of Cortez dive sites and then steam out to the distant islands of Socorro, San Benedicto and Roca Partida.

The Climate, Diving Season and Best Time to Visit

The Sea of Cortez liveaboard season runs from August through November when the water temperatures are around the 80°F (27°C) mark. September and October are the best times for hammerhead shark sightings here. The region is considered a year round destination for land-based diving charters.

Ports of Departure and How to Get There

Sea of Cortez liveaboard cruises normally depart in the afternoon from Puerto Penasco. This is particularly true of cruises that include the northern section of the Sea of Cortez. Those that cover all sections of the sea may begin or end their cruise in Puerto Penasco or San Jose del Cabo. Cruises that include both the southern sites of the Sea of Cortez and the Socorro Islands, depart in the evening from Cabo San Lucas.

Puerto Penasco is on the northern coast of the Sea of Cortez. Most guests fly through Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, 4 hours drive from Puerto Penasco. For San Jose del Cabo departures, guests fly into Los Cabos International Airport (a.k.a. San Jose del Cabo International Airport). You should plan to arrive the day before departure. The marina is 25 minutes from the airport and 5 minutes from downtown San Jose del Cabo. In all cases, an airport shuttle service can be arranged. More information on: How to get to Mexico.

You can view which ports the various boats use on their trips in the 'Departures & Prices' section of each boat's webpage. Whichever ports your boat uses, normally the boat operator provides a transfer to the boat from local hotels (if you overnight beforehand). We will send you full departure details during the booking process.

We recommend you take out insurance to cover diving and travel activities, including trip cancellation. See our insurance program for a competitive quotation:

Places to Stay

If you plan on staying in Mexico before or after your diving safari, you can find a large range of accommodation options at hotelscombined.com, our affiliated hotel reservation specialists. Browse their website, use their on-line chat to ask questions, then simply use your credit card to make your booking:

All bookings carry a 'Low Price Guarantee' to ensure you get top-dollar value for money.